


Smoke to Block Out the Sun

by Freedoms_Champion



Series: Burglar Lessons [6]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bilbo is a good soulmate, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Thorin Is an Idiot, Thorin makes good choices, love prevents gold sickness who knew, sometimes, the burning of Laketown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26471302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedoms_Champion/pseuds/Freedoms_Champion
Summary: In the aftermath of facing Smaug, Thorin would be nothing if he didn't have Bilbo to help him. When good news comes to the Mountain, Thorin takes his rightful place.The King Under the Mountain will be more generous than his forebearers.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Series: Burglar Lessons [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924351
Comments: 1
Kudos: 74





	Smoke to Block Out the Sun

Facing Smaug was even worse than Thorin had expected. The dragon had chased the Company from the lowest halls to the peak of the Mountain, survived every bit of damage they could think to inflict, and finally flown away to mount an attack on Laketown, where thousands of innocent people were completely unaware he was coming, including Thorin’s nephews. He slumped against cold stones outside the front gate of Erebor and waited for flames to bloom in the darkness. He refused to move, knowing it was his duty to witness the destruction because he had been the cause of it.

He finally became aware that he wasn’t alone. Bilbo remained at his side, huddled into himself and watching the distant flames. Thorin wrapped an arm around him, hoping the hobbit wouldn’t take ill again from the cold. Even that slight movement told him how stiff he had become and that icy tears were drying on his face.

Thorin hadn’t noticed that he was weeping.

When the sun rose, it was dim. Smoke from the ruined town blocked out the thin winter rays, preventing even a little warmth from reaching the stones of the Mountains.

“Come on, Thorin,” Bilbo whispered. “There’s nothing left now. Come inside out of the wind.”

Numbly, Thorin followed him. They wouldn’t be safe for long. Smaug might hunt for survivors to eat for a day or two, but he would fear to stray far from Lonely Mountain, knowing that thieves would come to steal his treasures. The Company could hardly survive a second attack from Smaug.

They made camp in the lower halls, where the re-lighted forge had made the stones warm to the touch. Thorin looked around the piles of gold, silver, and precious stones and tried to feel a sense of accomplishment. He had come all this way to see the treasure of Erebor, after all.

He felt nothing.

Bilbo coaxed him to eat and drink, which he did without tasting or feeling relief. The hobbit also dampened a cloth and washed accumulated soot from his face. That finally brought Thorin to his senses a little. He had gotten his sister’s sons killed, but knowing Bilbo was there to look after him was a small measure of comfort.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, unsure which of his colossal failures he most regretted.

Bilbo hushed him like a small child and made him lie down.

“Just go to sleep, Thorin. There’s been too much for talking right now.”

Thorin obeyed, falling into a dreamless sleep with his head on Bilbo’s shoulder.

It was the voices of the others that finally roused Thorin from his sleep. He opened his eyes in the dimness to hear gold coins tinkling against each other and the low chuckles of Dwarves beholding the treasure. Thorin smiled to hear joy from them for a change. Too often, he had only been able to hear his people suffering as he struggled to make all right for them.

Thorin slowly came to a landing on the stairs, overlooking the vast open cavern where a portion of the treasure was piled. The Company had spread out while looking around, but he was pleased to note they hadn’t completely abandoned caution and lost each other. Smaug could return at any moment and destroy them, after all.

He gazed over the treasure his nephews had died without seeing and tried to feel the longing for it that had eaten at him for so long. It refused to come. Instead, all he felt was the familiar urge to be careful, to keep one eye on his surroundings in case disaster came on them all without warning. Gold had lost its hold on him, and the sickness of it that had ruined his father and grandfather would not be the end of him.

Small hands slipped into the crook of his arm and Thorin looked down with a smile.

“Too cold for you, Master Baggins?” he teased.

“Quite so, thank you,” Bilbo said with a sharp nod and a brief smile. “We can’t stay here, Thorin. Not until we know for certain what happened in Laketown.”

“Aye. But to cross the open ground without knowing where the dragon lies will be the death of us,” Thorin answered. He stared across the cavern and didn’t see it while thoughts passed through his mind.

“They might still be alive, you know,” Bilbo said. “Fili and Kili. They would have tried to escape, and I believe Bard would have been able to keep his head. There’s a chance we’ll find them.”

Thorin loved him more for trying to see the best, but too much tragedy had visited his family for him to share the hobbit’s optimism. Neither Thror or Thrain had come back when they had parted from him and he could not bring himself to trust his luck would change now.

“Dwalin! Balin, come back!” he called, knowing those two would gather up the others. “We cannot linger here. We make for Ravenhill and see what we can make of things. Gather whatever useful things may be found, quickly. Smaug may yet come back here.”

Ravenhill, he judged, would be the best place to begin. The old watch post was close enough to the Front Gate that they wouldn’t be too exposed reaching it, and it commanded a good view of the surrounding land. They might not see as far as the lake, but it would be easier to spot Smaug if he was anywhere to be spotted.

It wasn’t much of a plan, but simply having an idea of what to do loosened the grip of shock and grief. Thorin knew he would carry the weight of the boy’s deaths for the rest of his life, but now there were still things he could do to help the people he had left. It was his purpose in life to act for the good of others even when his own heart begged to rest.

Outside, the air was bitterly cold. Thorin had found a heavy fur cape small enough not to encumber Bilbo terribly and wrapped him up, but he could still see Bilbo curling into himself. The rest of the Company, better suited for cold weather, trudged along in single file. He could see them testing the wind for the smoke that was still heavy on it and shaking their heads in sorrow for what they knew it meant.

They made a sorry group despite having returned to their rightful home. Thorin’s weight of cares had lessened with Bilbo’s promise to stay, but he still felt guilt for how much trouble he had brought upon his friends.

The guard post on Ravenhill wasn’t warm, but it was sheltered from the wind and Thorin took that as a comfort. He scoured the land for hours, looking for signs of Smaug through the smoke, but the skies were clear and the lands still. Dwalin joined him in looking and Thorin could read confusion in his old teacher’s face.

Behind them, Balin’s voice murmured, answered by the liquid voice of a raven. Thorin had seen no sign of the wise old allies of his grandfather, but if one had come to speak with them, it had to be a good omen. Ravens would never come close to a dragon’s lair unless it was safe for them.

He left off staring over the empty lands and sat near Balin to hear the news.

“Well, lad, it’s good and bad,” Balin said. He carefully set a biscuit moistened with water in front of the raven, who eyed it proudly before snatching it up and moving away to eat it.

“Any news is welcome,” Thorin replied. Bilbo nudged under his arm like a cat and Thorin obliged by pulling him close.

“The raven tells me Smaug is dead. He was slain by a Black Arrow, fired from Laketown. He fell on the town and left it in ruins, but there are people still alive. They’re gathering on the shore below us. That’s the good news,” Balin reported. He sighed heavily before going on. “These people have nowhere to go, Thorin. They have wounded, elderly, and sick. Winter will come far too quickly for them to make shelters from what they can find. Their eyes will turn to the Mountain and they will feel that the gold is owed them for their suffering. No doubt they think us as dead as we thought them.”

“The gold in the Mountain will not help them last the winter,” Thorin mused. He could feel Balin watching him and knew his old friend was expecting him to begin making plans to defend their rightful property. Once, Thorin would have, feeling that whatever treasure Smaug had sacked from Dale was his right, since the Men of Dale had failed to kill Smaug when they had the chance.

Those days were behind him. Now, he only wanted a peaceful home that his people could come back to and restore their shattered pride.

“There is not food for them, either. But we will offer what we can. We have shelter in Erebor and gold to rebuild Esgaroth and Dale. If the Men of the Lake can live alongside us in peace, we will welcome them,” Thorin decided finally. “I have no desire to bring our people back here when the Men resent us.”

Balin looked at him oddly before breaking into a smile. “My boy, you’ve become wiser,” he said, pride in every word. Thorin smiled back.

“I suppose any lesson can be learned if it lasts long enough,” he agreed.

“You give Master Baggins too little credit, I think,” Balin replied, eyes twinkling. “I’m glad you two have found each other. Now we have to live through the winter, and then I can finally rest easy of a night.”

Thorin rolled his eyes. It wasn’t a particularly kingly gesture, but Balin’s meddling never ceased to astonish him.

“I’m sorry, but what have I done?’ Bilbo asked, looking from Thorin to Balin with confusion evident on his face. Thorin smoothed errant copper curls from the hobbit’s face.

“No other love can take hold of me now that I have found you,” he explained. “The gold-sickness that took my grandfather will not be the death of me. I feared it on the journey here, among so many other things, but now that burden is lifted from my shoulders.”

“Oh. That’s good then.” Bilbo sniffed, wiggling his nose in a circle.

“Smaug is slain,” Thorin said, raising his voice enough to be heard by all the Company. “Our suffering from him is but a memory now. Let us return to the Mountain and make ready for the people of Laketown. They will be here before much longer.”

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go again!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Comments welcome and have a great day!


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